Milwaukee might be one of the most underrated cities in the country when it comes to tourist value. There are so many experiences that you might need a vacation on top of your vacation to get them all in. Adding to everything else is the Potawatomi Casino, right in the heart of the city. While the casino is fantastic, in 2014 they took things to a whole new level by adding a hotel, resulting in a Las Vegas style setting in the heart of Brew Town.

Hotel Daytime Exterior (Courtesy Potawatomi Hotel & Casino)

You often hear people say “the room doesn’t matter; we won’t be spending that much time in it.” To those people I give you the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino. The simple fact is that if you have never stayed in a luxurious hotel such as this one, you believe it doesn’t matter. Once you open the door and get a feel of the elegance your room has to offer, you will change your mind.

Hotel Lobby (Courtesy Potawatomi Hotel & Casino)

The true testament to a hotel room is how much time you want to spend in that room. The fact is, despite all there is to do, and with a casino just an elevator ride away, you might just wind up spending more time in your room than you originally imagined. The casino transformed into the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino in 2016 with the addition of a 19-story tower that includes 381 rooms. Within those 381 rooms, you will find 16 suites and the presidential suite. If you are looking for that truly opulent experience, that would have to be the hotel’s presidential suite. The rooms have all the amenities you would expect with such a hotel, and they also have fantastic floor to ceiling views of Milwaukee. They also plan to add a second tower in 2019.

RuYi (Courtesy Potawatomi Hotel & Casino)

While not only being the best restaurant inside of Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, Dream Dance Steak is also among the finest restaurants in all of Milwaukee. If you are looking for a steak that is grilled to perfection, Dream Dance is the place to go. This is one of those restaurants that if you want to impress a date, or wine and dine a client, this would be it. You simply can’t leave without being impressed, from the food to the impeccable service. There are so many ways to begin your evening, but this is Wisconsin, so cheese is a must. The cheese and charcuterie offers some of the finest cheeses in Wisconsin, and while you can find a deep-fried cheese curd nearly everywhere, this is the only place you will find the Wisconsin Cheese Curd Fritters. The fritters look like a meal by themselves they are so monstrous, but what sets them apart is the breading, which, while crispy, it doesn’t overpower the cheese. It is accompanied by an incredibly rich smoked Gouda sauce, and a tomato jam that brings balance to this very powerful dish. When it comes to steaks, your only dilemma will be choosing one; you’re likely to get dizzy looking at the menu from the huge selection. For pure indulgent flavor, the bone-in ribeye is the choice. If somehow you don’t want to try one of the many steaks on the menu, you can choose from the catch of the day, or other wonderful seafood choices such as Pacific Wild Salmon or Seared Sea Scallops. From start to finish, Executive Chef Chase Anderson does what any chef should do: simply cooks everything flawlessly.

Scallops at Dream Dance

Ribeye at Dream Dance

Fried foods and Milwaukee go together like a brat and beer. Sushi, well that probably might not enter your mind on a trip here. However, RuYi Authentic Asian & Sushi Bar inside Potawatomi Hotel & Casino is going to change your mind. RuYi offers a full sushi bar, as well as classic Asian dishes such as Peking Roast Duck, Pad Thai and General Tso’s Chicken. When RuYi says full sushi bar, they mean it. If there is a fish and a roll you want it on, they likely have it; and while that seems doable in most places, sushi always comes down to one thing, freshness. In this day and age freshness is attainable, it is just a question of going out and finding it. RuYi does just that. They work with fish vendors to always bring in the freshest fish possible, which enables them to create such fabulous sushi as RuYi, made with spicy salmon and yellow tail; Summer, which has no rice and is soley centered around the yellowtail and avocado wrapped in cucumber; and Lover’s, which combines scallop, spicy tuna and cooked shrimp.

Northern Lights Theater (Courtesy Potawatomi Hotel & Casino)

The restaurant lineup just seems to be endless as you can find Italian fare such as pasta and flatbreads at Bella Italiana. The Canal Street Café is a great casual true café experience that also takes you through a bit of the history of Milwaukee, with some breathtaking photography you can view throughout the restaurant. Of course this would not be a casino without a buffet, and the one at Potawatomi Hotel & Casino offers endless selections and specialty nights, including the Wisconsin favorite Friday Fish Fry and a deluxe Sunday brunch. Finally, for those who want a little variety while keeping it more casual, the Menomonee Valley Food Court has a number of great restaurants to satisfy you.

Hotel Presidential Suite (Courtesy Potawatomi Hotel & Casino)

If yousimply want to come to Potawatomi to gamble, you won’t be disappointed. The casino floor includes more than 2,600 video and reel slot machines, nearly 100 table games, 20 poker tables, a 1,350-seat bingo hall and a 5,000 square-foot off-track betting room. If you have an interest in horse racing and want to wager on any of the racetracks throughout the country, this is the place to do it.

Bar 360(Courtesy Potawatomi Hotel & Casino)

Milwaukee has always been a tourist’s paradise in the summer, with amazing weather and festivals galore, including the world’s largest music festival, Summerfest. In 2018 Milwaukee will be introducing a new sports and entertainment district that will be home to the Milwaukee Bucks new arena. In addition, you of course will find plenty of beer experiences as well as many unique dining destinations. Simply enjoying the history and architecture can make Milwaukee a tourist destination.

Coming to Milwaukee and staying at a casino might sound a bit atypical, but once you get to Potawatomi Hotel & Casino and stay there, your opinion will quickly change. The best of both worlds is an understatement as you have the best of every world. A casino at your beck and call, luxurious hotel rooms, a location just minutes from the airport and everything else that Milwaukee has to offer. This is a tourist destination created with the tourist in mind.